Trekking in Nepal. The bon village of Lupra

taken from the German “Schneider”map

On the way between Kagbeni and Jomsom You can find the little village of Lupra in a narrow side valley.

It is not very easy to find, because you can not see the village from the main Kali Gandaki trail. The valley is in the est of the Kali Gandaki. The river digged deep into the mountain, so that the trail is going flat along the little river. Lupra appears only after 20 min.

Another very interesting trail goes direktly from Jharkot to Lupra. This trail is not very easy to follow, so a local guide can be very helpful. The trail starts in Jharkot to the left and leads to a pass with excellent views of Nilgiri and Daulagiri.

View from the pass between Jharkot and Lupra

After descending the trail leads to an orchard with a wall al around. After the orchard you have to turn to the right and walk in direction of the Kali Gandki valley. Soon you will find little paths. Finally there is one trail left, going down to the Lupra valley. After another half hour in the gravel of the river the little village of Lupra apears.

Lupra with the apricots trees in blossom

The monastery of Lupra

The bon religion was the former main-religion of Tibet before the lamaistic buddhism took over this position. But many rituals, gods and way of thinking where taken over into the new religion. That is the reason, that a bon Monastery does not look very different from a normal buddhist gompa. Still today you can find Bonpa in Tibet and in Nepal, here they are mainly living in Dolpo. You can recognise them when they turn their prayerweel anticlockwise. Another  difference is the use of blue colour for their clothes and in the temples.

If you are interested in tibetan or buddhist religion, this sidestep is an easy opportunity to visit a Bon-village

Near the river is a beautiful chorten

Like in Tibet, you can find many ghost traps. Ghost dont like right angels and are trapped . so they can not enter the protected houses

More information about bon-Religion in Tapriza

or in the Bon page of the excellent Yetizone

the US-located Bon site; lingmicha